Before digging always get an underground wire locate by calling Iowa One Call
at 800-292-8989 in Iowa or JULIE at 800-892-0123 in Illinois at least 48 hours
before digging.
For a 2 to 2-1/2" diameter tree, dig a 20" deep hole measuring 40" diameter
at the top coned down to 24" at the bottom. Place the tree next to the hole and
measure the depth of the root ball to make sure it will fit in the hole. You do
not want the tree to sit too high or too low.
Place the tree in the hole, complete with wire and burlap, making sure it is
straight. Keeping the burlap on the tree until it is placed in the hole will
stop the roots from being exposed unnecessarily.
Backfill a little at the bottom, using the dirt dug from the hole. Do not use
potting soil, which will inhibit the tree's roots from growing beyond the
potting soil. Cut away as much of the wire and burlap as possible.
Backfill the remainder of the hole, leaving a small berm around the tree to
create a moat. Do not replace the sod or grass layer.
Cover the ground in the drip line of the trees branches with 4" of mulch,
keeping the mulch away from the tree trunk.
Keep weeds and grass out of the mulched area as they will be in direct
competition with tree root growth. You will get a third more growth if you keep
grass and weeds out of the drip line. As the tree grows, you can extend your
mulch bed to cover the new area of ground in the drip line of the tree branches.
In the fall wrap trunk to keep deer and rabbit from damaging trunk. For
maples, wrapping will also help prevent sun scald. Put wrap on September and
remove first of April.
In windy climates, stake the tree for two growing seasons.
For the first year do not fertilize tree. In the second
year buy tree spikes at your local garden center. Use the of tree spikes
recommended on package per caliper inch of the tree trunk diameter.
563-381-TREE
